MDOT/MTA receive six statements of qualification for Purple Line

Maryland Department of Transportation/Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT/MTA) received six private-sector responses to a Request for Qualifications to design, build, construct, finance, operate and maintain the Purple Line in Montgomery and Prince George's counties under Maryland's newly adopted Public-Private Partnership (P3) law.

"Thanks to the hard work of Gov. O'Malley, Lt. Gov. Brown and General Assembly in passing the new P3 law and the Transportation Investment Act, the private sector has heard loud and clear that Maryland is open for business and serious about getting the Purple Line built," said Transportation Secretary James Smith, Jr. "The six responses, from local, national and worldwide firms, clearly demonstrate leaders in the P3 industry have strong interest in delivering this long-awaited project."

Following a thorough review of all the responses, MDOT/MTA will announce a short list of teams in January, who will be invited to submit formal proposals in early summer. In late 2014 or early 2015, MDOT/MTA will select a preferred partner and recommend the final agreement to the Board of Public Works for their review and approval. Construction could begin in spring 2015.

"Our intent is to short list as many as four teams to ensure competition and innovation in the Purple Line project," said Maryland Transit Administrator Robert Smith. "The MTA will continue to play a prominent role through every phase of this project and will remain very engaged with all communities along the route."

The Purple Line is a 16-mile light-rail line that runs east-west inside the Capital Beltway between Bethesda in Montgomery County and New Carrollton in Prince George's County with 21 stations planned that will provide direct connections to Metrorail's Orange Line, Green Line and two branches of the Red Line and the MARC Brunswick, Camden and Penn Lines. The total project cost is $2.2 billion, which is being funded by a combination of federal, state and local governments. Because of the passage of the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley added $711 million in state funds for design and construction of the Purple Line to MTA's six-year capital budget (FY 2014 –FY 2019).